Convertible suitcase



J. ZAPERT. CONVERTIBLE SUITCASE. APPLICA'HON FILED JUNE 23. 1920.

1,361,953, Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

gmemtoz J. ZAPERT.

CONVERHBLE SUITCASE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 1920.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG.3

J. ZAPERT. CONVERTIBLE SUITCASE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 1920.

FIG. 5.

UNITED STATES ra rsm OFFICE.

JOSEPH ZAPERT, 0F LAXVRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONVERTIBLE SUITCASE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosErH ZAPERT, a citizen of Poland, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Suitcases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in convertible suit cases and more particularly to articles of baggage which may be readily converted into a table or the like.

The primary object of the present invention is to so construct a suit case as to pro vide a simple and durable construction embodying foldable supporting legs normally positioned and hidden from view in compartments provided in the ends of the suit case and movable to exposed operative position out of the compartments for supporting the suit case upon one side at a required elevation so as to present the other side of the suit case as a table top.

Another object of the invention is to provide the end compartments with hinged closures having locking means for preventing unauthorized use of the valise as a table, the closures being so constructed that when the same are closed the appearance of the suit case is the same as usual suit cases and the presence of the box with the foldable supporting legs therein unsuspected.

With the above general objects in view and others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a convertible suit case constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown with its supporting legs operatively disposed,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1 with the legs collapsed,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged end elevational view with the compartment closure raised and the supporting legs operatively positioned,

o the collapsed position of the legs being indicated by dotted lines,

Serial No. 391,085.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon line IV-IV of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is an inverted perspective view of one end of the device-shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing details of the leg mounting means, and

l ig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a compartment formed in the suit case at each end by the provision of the leg receiving compartments.

Referr1ng more in detail to the several news, the present invention contemplates the provision of supporting means for and modification of the usual form of suit case comprising side sections 5 and 6 hinged along one side as at 7 and provided with means as at 8 and 9 for retaining the same closed, a suitable carryingstrap or handle 10 being provided as usual.

The formation of the sections 5 and 6 is substantially the same as is the case with ordinary suit cases now in common use with the exception that false end walls 11 are provided in each end of the section 5 parallel with and spaced from the usual end walls 12, and the end walls 12 are provided with hinged sections 13 adapted to be locked, by any suitable locking means 14, in closed position, the lock 14L being preferably of a key controlled type provided with a key hele alined with a similar opening 15 provlded in each section 13. The bolt of each lock 14 is arranged to enter a keeper 16 provided on the false end wall 11 adjacent thereto, and it will thus be seen that the walls 11 and 12 together with the hinged section 13 provide a compartment at each end of the suit case adapted to receive foldable legs in a manner which will presently become apparent.

As the supporting legs for each end of the suit case are identical as are also the mountings therefor, the description of one of the same is believed to suffice. At one end of the end wall 12 a stiff mounting bracket of strip form is rigidly fastened as at 16 so as to extend transversely of the suit case between the sides of the latter, and a supporting leg 17 is hinged at one end as at 18 to the adjacent end of this bracket. At the other end of the wall 12 another bracket 19 similar to the bracket 16, but shorter than the latter, is fastened, and the adjacent end of the bracket 19 is hinged as at 20 to another supporting leg 21 which is lines in Fig.

alined relation of the links when the legs longer than the leg 17. As the legs 17 and 21 are hingedly mounted to fold in the same plane and in the plane of the false end wall 1, the latter may be readily swung within the compartment 22 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the leg 21 being swung in first because of the fact that the same occupies a position farther inwardly of the compartment than the leg 17 by reason of the bracket 19 being shorter than the bracket 16. A further bracket 23 is rigidly secured to the wall 12 midway between the brackets 16 and 19, and a pair of links 24 are each hinged at one end to this bracket 23 to swing in the same plane as the legs 17 and 21. A further pair of links 25 are hinged to the legs 17 and 21, and each link 25 is hinged to the adjacent end of one of the links 24. The links 25 are provided with arcuate slots as at 26, and the links 24 are provided with lateral studs or pins 27 adapted to enter the slots '26 when the links 24 and 25 are eX- tended to alined position as shown by full 3 so as to rigidly maintain this 17 and 21 are withdrawn to their operative position. It will beseen that by relatively moving the links 24 and 25 of each pair so as to break the joints therebetween, said links may be folded or collapsed for moving the legs and the links into the compartment 22, whereupon the sections 13 may be swung to closed position and locked.

When it is desired to use the suit case shown in Fig. 2 as a table or the like, the lock14 at both ends may be operated for releasing the closures 13 so that access may behad to each compartment 22. The leg 1? in each compartment is then swung outwardly and the links 24 and 25 connected thereto straightened. The legs 21 are then drawn out for straightening the links 24 and 25 connected thereto and the suit case may then be horizontally supported upon four legs so as to present a table, the top of which is formed by one side of the section 6. The walls 11 and 12 are connected by a partition 28 (see Fig. 4) directly above the brackets 16, 19 and 23 so as to form an elon gated or narrow compartment 29 in :the section 5 at each end of the latter and above the compartm'ents22 particularly serviceable for reception of such articles as tooth brushes, pencils and the like. The compartments 29 may be provided with any suitable form of flap closure 30 as best shown in Fi s. 4 and 7. V

t will thus be seen that I have provided section so as to swing towa an extremely simple, durable and efiicient form of convertible suit case and table which is assured of meeting with all of the requirements for a successful commercial use, the provision of the compartments for receiving the foldable legs being such as to not require much of the room generally provided inside of the suit case, and the device having the usual neat appearance when the legs are collapsed and the closures 13 are locked in closed position.

{Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

lVhat is claimed as new is 1. In combination with a suit case including a body section having a lid section hinged thereto, the rue end walls of the body section each including a rigid section and a hinged closure section, false end walls adjacent to and parallel with said end walls of the body section and forming with the latter end compartments, a pair of brackets secured to the ends of each of said rigid end wall sections, a pairof legs hinged to each .pairof brackets between the false end walls and the true end walls of the body section so as to swing toward each other into said compartments, and means to retain said legs in outwardly swung position for. supporting the suit case uponone side for use as a table with the lid section ofthe suit-- case constituting the table top.

2. In combination with a suit case'including a body section having a lid section hingedthereto, the true end walls of the body section each including a rigid section and a hinged closure section, false end walls adjacent to and parallel with said end walls of the body section and forming with the latter end compartments, a pair of brackets secured to the ends of each ofsaid rigid end wall sections, a pair of legshinged to each pair of brackets between the false end walls and the true end walls of the body rd each other into said compartments, and means to retain said legs'in outwardly swung position for supporting the suit case upon one side for use as a table with the lid section of the suitcase constituting the table top, said last named means including pivotally connected break joint links pivoted to the legs and the body section, wherebythe links are movable with the legs into said compartments when folded.

In testimony'whereof I afiix my signature.

- JOSEPHZAPERT. 

